Blackburn Gardens

August 7, 2023

#GSVMemberMonday Feature

Nestled at the edge of historic, old-town Mount Vernon, WA, sits a slice of Skagit Valley floral heaven. Blackburn Gardens, a micro-urban farm sits on 3/4 of an acre with an adorable flower cart out front offering beautiful, hand-gathered bouquets during the growing season. Owner Laura Ward and her husband Mark opened the farm in 2019. Laura loves meeting her neighbors as they stop by for a last-minute bundle of flowers for a friend or a bucket of blooms for an intimate backyard celebration. As Laura says, “I have loved dirt and the things that grow in it since childhood. Blackburn Gardens is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream to grow beautiful things and share them with my community.”

Flower Farmer Laura Ward of Blackburn Gardens in Mt. Vernon, WA. Photo by Mark Ward of Forward Design

In addition to the flower cart, Blackburn Gardens, the only You-Pick flower farm in Downtown Mount Vernon, also offers You-Pick Flower buckets, where one can enjoy strolling through the flowers and filling a bucket with your favorites. Blackburn Gardens also offers pre-ordered Farmer’s Choice bulk buckets for DIY events. Each bucket contains an assortment of focals, fillers, and greens.

Workshops are held throughout the year for anyone who would like to learn more about growing their own flowers. Some workshops focus on cold-hardy annual flowers, others offer wreath-making instruction or even flower therapy. Many area gardeners have come to learn from Laura. The next workshop is titled, Fall Planting for Spring Bounty Workshop: Overwintering Cold-Hardy Annual Flowers and as of this article, spaces are still available on Blackburn Gardens website.

Seeds and dried flowers are also available during the cooler months, just in time for winter inspiration looking forward to springtime.

A beautiful dried flower wreath made by Laura of Blackburn Gardens. Blackburn Gardens in Mt. Vernon, WA. Photo by Mark Ward of Forward Design

We recently caught up with Laura to ask her what her favorite #SkagitGrown crop was. Here’s what she said:

“I’m afraid as a flower farmer I’m a little narrow-minded—my favorite crop is the flowers! Every spring I marvel at the incredible fields of shocking color after a long, dark winter. Daffodils and tulips pop out of our rich soil, bringing so much joy to our entire community. And the beauty just keeps rolling in from the fields as new crops come into bloom, right up until the first frost hits. I have the privilege to interact with many dedicated flower growers here in the valley, and I deeply admire their tenacity and commitment to sustainability, as well as their dedication to meeting our innate human need for beauty. “

Blackburn Gardens in Mt. Vernon, WA. Photo by Mark Ward of Forward Design

Blackburn Gardens has been a perennial (see what we did there) favorite stop on the Farmstand Fresh route in previous years, and this year is no different. The flower cart is stocked daily through the season, except Sundays, and is open from 10 a.m. to dusk, from April to October.

Thank you Blackburn Gardens for supporting the Genuine Skagit Valley program and for letting us celebrate you this week for our #GSVMemberMonday feature!